West Pokot residents urged to respect the rights of the disabled

West Pokot first lady Dr. Mary Lonyangapuo has urged parents to register children who are living with disabilities

West Pokot County First Lady Dr. Mary Lonyangapuo has raised concern over the rising cases of residents in the County who are keeping people living with disabilities away from the public. It has been established that many disabled people in the County are not allowed to be seen in the public because of cultural traditions and beliefs and many are taken as a bad omen in the society while others are being ignored.

The County leads in the number of unregistered disabled persons, estimated to be over six thousand. 90% of people living with disability in the area have not accessed education and 50% of people living with disability haven’t been reached.

Dr. Lonyangapuo said that hiding and keeping such like children away from the public is tantamount to violation of children rights and denies them access to education.

She urged residents in the County to cease from the practice and report any cases of children with disabilities who are kept indoors by their parents. “We urge residents to expose those who’ve been hidden in order for them to get help,” he said. Dr. Lonyangapuo advised parents to register them in special schools where they can learn and acquire skills.

Speaking at St. Francis School for the visually impaired in Kapenguria where she availed three acres of land, a Kshs 1 million cheque to buy an embosser, a resident nurse to treat learners and a Kshs 200,000 cheque for constructing pavements courtesy of the West Pokot County government, Dr. Lonyangapuo expressed concern that many people who are abled differently in the County haven’t been exposed. “Everyone is entitled to life and integration in society and we shall help empower such children because you don’t know what they can do for the society tomorrow,” she said.

She said people who are abled differently have rights just like everyone else in the society and have equal opportunities as enshrined in the law and international conventions, “We should all take responsibility and respect the rights of the disabled as stipulated in the constitution,” she said.